Tiffany & Co.’s Chief Gemologist On Diamond Traceability, Selecting The Perfect Stone and Her Favourite Red Carpet Moment of 2021
In celebration of UAE’s 50th birthday, Harper’s Bazaar Arabia spoke exclusively to Victoria Reynolds about what truly goes into finding the right gems…
In a world where the term “dream job” more often than not comprise of staring at screens all day, it’s hard not to be slightly envious of the career path Victoria Reynolds has chosen for herself. While she has undoubtedly put in her fair share of screen time, it is hard not to imagine that being surrounded by an abundance of natural beauty – in the form of gemstones – has given her psyche some kind of magical boost; a superpower, if you like, that can only be acquired after years of inspecting diamonds.
As Tiffany & Co.’s Chief Gemologist – the first woman to hold the position – her role is, arguably, one of the most important ones in the company as she is responsible for sourcing and selecting the gems.
“After I joined Tiffany & Co. in 1987, I believe that every position I held has been a stepping stone toward the position. From working in Custom Design, creating one-of-a-kind pieces of jewellery, to the time I spent in the Diamond Lab, these positions truly solidified my love for diamonds and gemstones,” she recounted. “During my tenure at the Diamond Lab, I must have looked at tens of thousands of diamonds. I really became obsessed with every detail, every facet and every nuance that makes our diamonds so perfect. It was my years at the lab that really shaped my love of gemmology and informed who I am today.”
Very soon, the best of her work will be on display as the Blue Book High Jewellery Collection makes its regional debut – no small feat indeed, as clients will have the opportunity to fully custom their pieces, bringing their “one-of-a-kind high jewellery creations to life,” in Victoria’s words. In honour of this special occasion she shares insight into her way of working; touches on why collaboration between teams is key, and reveals her favourite Tiffany & Co. red carpet moment of the year.
What surprised you the most when you first stepped into the role of Chief Gemmologist?
I was struck by how innovation has always been at the forefront of Tiffany designs for over 180 years and is so much part of our DNA. [We] really pushes the boundaries of the extraordinary to create the most beautiful jewellery in the world.
With more women than ever before buying themselves high jewellery, how does this change what you look for in a stone?
The role of high jewellery is evolving. Our clients are educated and curious. We are constantly ideating to keep our jewellery modern and relevant with designs that are wearable from day to evening, while still paying homage to our rich history.
With our superior craftsmanship, we seek out new techniques in how we cut our gemstones, as well as innovative ways to set them—always with an eye of creating the most beautiful high jewellery in the world. Each piece in this collection has a distinct personality, each gemstone a unique identity, which creates so many opportunities for self-expression. There are endless ways to wear these pieces and that is what makes each an opportunity for the client’s individual expression.
When it comes to sourcing stones for specific pieces, can you share insight into how you work with the rest of the Tiffany & Co. creative team?
Sourcing gemstones for our collections is a quest… we travel extensively, searching for these miracles of nature that inspire us – and our designs. Every single one is hand-selected; sometimes we find the gemstones and, other times, they magically find us. It can take years to find the perfect stone for a specific design and, other times, the stone reveals itself and we know that it must be ours. It’s really a collaborative effort between my team and the designers.
Tiffany & Co. launched its Diamond Source Initiative back in 2019 and continues to work towards providing its client with as much information as possible on the traceability and sustainably of its stones. Why should diamond traceability be taken into consideration when shopping for high jewellery?
Last year, we became the first global luxury jeweller to share the diamonds’ full craftsmanship journey – including the cutting, polishing, and setting location; all this information will be shared with our clients for each newly sourced, individually registered diamond.
Our Diamond Craft Journey is an industry first, and one we are delighted to pioneer, providing complete traceability for our high jewellery collections. The 2021 Blue Book Collection, our latest high jewellery collection, focuses on Tiffany’s expertise in stunning-coloured gemstones, which the brand brought to the American jewellery lexicon from the early 1900s.
While we are proud of the progress we have made after more than 20 years, investing in social and environmental responsibility, we are continuously innovating our approach in response to the changing business context and evolving stakeholder expectations; we want to make sure that we’re continuing to evolve and improve as the world changes.
With the return of red-carpet events this year, Tiffany & Co. has made so many exquisite appearances. Can you share with us any of your favourite pieces (and, perhaps, any stories behind them) that have recently been in the spotlight?
One of my favourite pieces that was worn recently on the red carpet was a diamond Blue Book Collection necklace worn by Hailey Bieber at the Met Gala. The one-of-a-kind necklace features over 40 total carats of mixed-cut diamonds in an innovative setting that we introduced. The setting makes the 34 cushion-cut, emerald-cut, oval and pear-shaped diamonds appear as if they are floating inside platinum frames. We love how this creates an almost trompe l’oeil effect.
